Electrode box



- Aug. 4, 1931.- F. A. CIRAOLO 1,317,543

. ELECTRODE BOX Filed Dec. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g- 4, 9 F. A.CIRAOLO 1,817,543

ELECTRODE Box Filed Dec. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-$heet 2 Patented Aug. 4, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FERDINAND A. CIBAOLO, or OAKLAND,CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOB or ONE-HALF 'ro JOHN s. BASHER, or OAKLAND,CALIFORNIA ELECTRODE BOX Application filed December 12, 1927. Serial No.238,507.

' My invention relates in general to terminal boxes and moreparticularly to boxes for enshrouding and supporting the terminal orelectrode end of vapor illuminating tubes generally used for lightingeffects.

An object of prime importance of my invention is to provide for thelongitudinal adjustment of the box with respect to the supportingsurface therefor.

Another object of importance is the provision of means forgravitationally supporting the electrode in the box in a manner assuringthat the electrode will be insulatingly free of contact with the wallsof the box, and preferably supported parallel to the sides of the Afurther object of importance is the provision'of means on an end of thebox to adjustably receive an additional support for the illuminatingtube near the electrode end thereof.

Other and ancillary objects of my invention will be suggested in thefollowing description and in the uses to which my invention'is put.-Certain of the objects of my invention may be attained with the use ofless than all its preferred features. It is desired, therefore, thatmyinvention belimited only by the claims constituting its finaldetermination.

Referring to the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a face view of an illuminating installation involving theuse of my invention, and Fig. '2 is a top planof the installation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal horizontal mid-sectional view of theleft-end box of the installation;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view of the structure; the plane ofsection being along the lines 4-4 of Figs. 1, 3 and 8.

' Fig. 5 is an end view of either the single or the double box shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the single box of Fig. 1 as viewed along theline 66 thereof. i

Fig. 7 is an enlarged face view of the double or intermediate box ofFig. 1; a.cover section and electrode being omitted to expose the slotand electrode support member.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to that of Fig. 3, but of the box of Fig. 7 Inthis figure two electrodes are shown normally positioned; and

F ig. 9 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary face view of the electrodesupporting members in use; the dot-and-dash lines indicate the positionof the member when swung out of service.

Broadly stated, my invention comprises a box for housing the electrodesof illuminating tubes and also for supporting the tubes in position to awall of a building or other structure; but more specifically myinvention is designed to overcome the problems encountered ininstallation of the so-called neon vapor tubes now commonly used indisplay advertising, and for the effective out-lining of buildings,billboards, and the like.

In this system of lighting, the tube lengths are made to dimensionspreviously determined for the particular job, and boxes and tubes arethen shipped to the particular place for installation. Heretofore theboxes were first fixedly secured tothe building, then the tubes wereplaced and secured. Invariably, it was found, that the tubes were tooshort or too long, necessitating, more or less, a completeredispositioning of the boxes different from that of the drawingsfurnished the workmen for the set-up. To overcome the saidredispositioning-of the boxes and other setting-up deficiencies, withtheir attendant costs, loss of time, and marring of the supportingsurfaces, I have provided a superior box structure, denoted in generalon the drawings by the reference numbers 10 and 11, 10 being an end orsingle box, and 11 an intermedi- 90 ate or double box. As the boxes areotherwise similar the reference characters to follow will represent likeparts. i

- The boxes are preferably composed of sheet-metal, and have side walls12 and 12, end walls Band 13. and a base 14. The top of the box is openfor the provision of one or more covers 15. The box houses an electrode16 of the familiar vapor illuminating tube 17, and the placed cover '15completes the enshrouding of the electrode 16 carrying the terminal wireconductor 18, and thus only the illuminated tube 17 is exposed to theView of a spectator.

The base 14 is provided, preferably longitudinally and centrally, withone or more long slots 19, to receive screws 20 or the like, for thesecurement of the box to a wall or other supporting surface 21.

In the placement of the tube 17in the box, I provide means to preventthe electrode 16' from tilting or coming into contact with the sidewalls of the box. For neatness and efficiency, I prefer that theelectrode 16 and tube 17 shall lie in a plane perpendicular to the base14, the electrode to rest unstressed in the plane and by gravity upon apreferably flex-.

ible wire supporting member 22, which I will now describe. p

The supporting member 22 is most useful when the placement of the boxesare horizontal, but are serviceable when the boxes are in any inclinedposition. Themember 22 has a foot 23 threadedly or otherwise pivotallysecured in the lower side 12' of the box adjacent the base 14; from thefoot and in the plane thereof extends a portion 24, and angularly andupwardly from the latter extends another portion 25 and therefrom a headportion 26 parallel to the foot 23. On the head is slipped an insulatingelement such as a tube of glass 27. The end of the head is downturned asat 28 to retain the insulator in position.- When the electrode supportmember 22 is not in use or previous to the placement of the electrode inthe box, it may be swung out of the way to its supporting wall 12' asshown in Fig. 9.

I desire that an end of the box underlying the tube shall carry thetube, not by gravity but by indirect attachment thereto, theintermediate attachment 29 being an adjust able insulator support setforth and forming the subject matter of another patent application,Serial Number 231,516, and filed November 7, 1927, which has becomePatent 1,806,575, May 19, 1931, and, therefore, in this vapplication Iwill but briefly referto a few essential partsthereof. In the attachment29, 30 is a glass element of a shape to receive the tube 17, the unionadapted to be tied to gether by a fine wire 31. The larger end of theglass element is secured in the socket 32 of the metallic member 33,which latter member is adapted to be adjustably. held to the angledmember 34. To adaptthe aforesaid structure to my present invention,Imake use of the portion of th 'an led member 34 so that the end wall 13'of my box may receive the said portion 35 to accomplish adjustment ofthe tube 17 to and from the box. To effect this adjustable mounting, Iprovidethe end wall 13 with a recessed portion 36 providing a channeland having an open end 37 and a slot 38 cut from the portion 36. Thusthe portion 35 of the insulator support 29 may slidingly engage thechannel and be adjustably secured therein by the screw 39 carried by theportion 35 engaging the portion 36.

The covers 15 of the boxes are slotted at the return-bend ends of thetubes 17 to permit the placement of the electrodes within the describedthe principle of operation, together with the device which I nowconsider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made, when desired, as fall within the scope of theappended claims.

Having thus described my, invention, I

claim asmnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesthe following:

' 1. A combined terminal,box and support for an end of a luminescenttube, comprising a housing for mounting on a supporting wall, andhangers for the tube mounted on the housing and engaging the tube withinand without the housing, the inner said hanger comprising a swingingbracket for removable disposal in position to support the enclosed tubeend gravitationally and the outer hanger having means to positivelyengage the tube against lateral displacement thereof, and meanselectrically insulating both of said hangers from the housing walls.

2. A combined housing and support for a luminescent tube having agooseneck terminal portion, comprising a housing and hanga housing formounting on a supporting wall,

and hangers for the tube mounted on the housing and engaging the tube wthin and without the housing, the inner said hanger comprising a bracketoperative to resiliently support the enclosed tube end portiongravitationally, and the outer hanger having means to rigidly secure thetube end portion thereat against lateral displacement.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature. 1'

FERDINAND A. GIRAOLO.

